Policing Professional Role Profile

Job Family: Core Rank
Rank: PC AFO

Role Purpose:
(This section summarises the key function of the role)

An Authorised Firearms Officer (AFO) is a police officer who has been selected, trained, accredited and authorised by a Chief Officer to carry a firearm operationally.
Please note that this profile is intended to provide a generic baseline of various AFO roles (e.g. Rifle Officer, IRT , SEG, Armed Response Vehicle Officer).
Constables play a critical front line role in the prevention and detection of crime and • the criminal justice system

Key Accountabilities

(This section details the key responsibilities required of the role)

Attend operational briefings to obtain a clear understanding of the strategic firearms commander’s strategy, the tactical commander’s tactical plan and their operational firearms commander’s deployment plan and to understand their role within it.
Apply the National Decision Model to manage their response to a situation in a reasonable and proportionate way.
Carry out armed duties in accordance with briefing, ensuring compliance with patrol strategy, force policy and associated legislation and when appropriate, justify the proportionate and lawful use of any force in line with legal accountabilities.
Gather and handle information and intelligence from a variety of sources, to assess threat in line with legislation, policies and guidance to take the appropriate action.
Using a range of tactical options, provide an effective, efficient and proportionate response to conflict, incidents and/or alarms whether directed or spontaneously encountered, assessing the threat to determine a proportionate response in line with legislation, policy and guidance.
Provide stakeholder and public reassurance when deployed, taking a leading role in establishing effective localised partnerships to problem solve, engage with, and support stakeholders and partnership organisations, groups and individuals across communities in line with the Force’s planned approach, ensuring a professional image is projected at all times.
Provide medical aid commensurate with training as required to preserve life.
Maintain all issued kit, equipment and physical resources in a safe and appropriate manner in line with force standards.

Links to Specialist Role Related Key Accountabilities

Please refer to the Constable Specialities Matrix

This role should be operating at or developing towards the following levels:

Resolute, compassionate and committed

We are emotionally aware Level 1
We take ownership Level 1

Inclusive, enabling and visionary leadership

We are collaborative Level 1
We deliver, support and inspire Level 1

Intelligent, creative and informed policing

We analyse critically Level 1
We are innovative and open-minded Level 1

Education, Qualifications, Skills and Experience

(Outlines the skills and educational and qualification requirements to be able to fulfil the role. These criteria should be considered as part of an individual’s PDR)

Able to develop a deep knowledge and understanding of the local community including society composition, the needs of stakeholders and local safety issues.
Strong communication skills with the ability to set out logical arguments clearly and adapt language, form and message to meet the needs of different people/ audiences.
Good team working skills demonstrating awareness of individual differences and providing support as required.
Able to proactively develop effective working relationships with colleagues, partners and other stakeholders, understanding their needs and concerns.
Able to identify the drivers of behaviour, acting with discretion and emotional intelligence to manage conflict and defuse difficult situations.
Problem solving skills with the ability to identify cause and effect and develop a course of action designed to target root causes as well as manage impacts.
Able to interpret and apply guidance to a specific activity.
Able to critically question and identify potential opportunities to enhance efficiency and/or effectiveness within own area of work.
Able to identify, analyse and manage risk to inform balanced, proportionate, evidence-based decisions.
Able to apply procedures and legislation in line with policy and guidance.
Able to review and reflect on own performance objectively and to take steps to maintain and enhance competence and professional standards appropriate to the role.
Able to produce concise statements or other documents.
Good time management skills with the ability to appropriately prioritise and plan own work.
Able to appropriately prioritise and plan own work.
Skilled in the use of standard IT packages, systems and/or databases to fulfil role requirements.
Competent in the provision of ballistic first aid.
Understanding of post deployment procedures.
Understanding of other armed policing roles.
Understanding of firearms, ammunition, ballistics, protection characteristics and capabilities.
Competent in a range of tactical options commensurate with their AFO role (s). Skilled in applying personal safety tactics, including the use of equipment and restraints.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

(Outlines continuing professional development activities which will enable the individual to maintain and enhance competence in the role)

Trained to the national common standard for all specific AFO roles in which they are operationally deployable.
Completed mandatory assessments on recruitment.
Undertake mandatory refresher training in all modules and units of the National Police Firearms Training Curriculum (NPFTC) in accordance with, or relevant to the role.
Undertake additional mandatory refresher training as determined by the force.
Annually meet health and fitness standards relevant to the role.
Maintain an up to date understanding of guidance, best practice and any local policy applicable to the operational police context.
Maintain an up to date understanding of legislation, policy and practice across all relevant areas of operational policing.
Maintain a working knowledge and understanding of new and evolving crime threats and priorities and current best practice to tackle these in order to enable a pro-active and preventative approach.
Successfully complete all annual and mandatory training.

Professional Registration/Licences

(Outlines any ongoing registration or licensing requirements of the role)

Not applicable.